the chain weilder of the star struck city (p, sal)

the clanking of chains and the quiet yet steady steps of the man known as xuba as he wore the grey cloak he reasonably fashioned on him as he wore a dark shirt under it all and had black slacks on as well. it was a brilliant day in hoshi as the man wandered through the city as he took a seat on a bench and sat down in thought.

hm what else can i do to this day? the city is so peaceful yet it is only a matter of time. the world ever turning and ambitions are abundant in the world. somehow, some way a day will come for here to.


xuba thought  as he sat on the bench watching people.

"Hmm... That expression on your face..." Sal muttered, having walked up behind the benched , cloaked figure, leaning down so that her chin very nearly rested on his shoulder. Her one eye looked over at the man as if peering into his soul. "That's the expression of someone who's seen some stuff..." Her voice was grave, quiet, perhaps even threatening if you chose to believe she COULD be threatening. Without any warning or question if she could join him, Sal quickly leaped over the back of the bench and sat down beside, offering the stranger a gentle smile.

"Hello there, guy! My name is Saluluna. What's yours?" The woman that sat before this cloaked figure wore what appeared to be a hooded black kimono with her headband lowered over her eye, hiding it from his view. She wore black pants and sandals as well, putting on the air that she could very well have something of an unpleasant personality, what with not a warm fuzzy color to be found. Despite her appearance, however, she smiled at the man as if they were old friends, offering him a warmth no sensible person would dare. She supposed a benifit to not caring about anything is that you always had the patience to be kind.

"You from here? Somehow you don't look like it..."

then there it was the curiosity, or the fact that sometimes a person just merely appears to desire to be funny. her foot steps would've been heard light, yet soft. Still any indication that he would've noted her was masked by a slight look of surprise on his face.  The grey eyes merely locked on the girl's for but an instant and then heard her exclamation.

kids.. why do they try to sneak up to a person when they do not know how they will react.


then he recalled that most of the place lacked pure logic and street smarts. save the few shinobi that have experienced such things. The thought merely a reminder that while handling most of these shinobi did not have  his experience still her observation was dutifully noted.

you have no idea young one.


xuba thought as he merely responded in a warm voice.

"i traveled a lot so i have seen a thing or two."

he stated as he leaned back against the bench and stretched for but a moment studying the girl.

"looks like you have not experienced enough of the world beyond these walls. while some places are nice. you never know what happens when you run into the world outside of here. iv been on thew road for close to 15 years. seen a lot, watched many things."

he stated as the girl sat down beside him at a respectable distance. xuba returned his gaze towards the people passing by the sound of hammers and shouting of prices returning to attention only slightly as he collectively listend to the world around him listening to the rest of her words quietly.

"pleasure saluluna, i'm tatsuma uneo the grey traveler. and its quiet a shock im from here surprisingly before this village was a shinobi village. i recall when this market was half the size. but adventure called and i wandered the land quietly experiencing different lands and the terrors of the roads."

"So I've noticed~." Sal remarked with a giggle as the man confirmed that he had, indeed, seen some stuff. In fact, he had seen SO much stuff, he had been able to deduce she hadn't actually traveled far from Hoshi, apparently attributing this astute observation to his 15 years "on the road". Uh huh... that was a fancy way of saying that he was a ninja without a master. In this world where everyone was torn by distrust and disloyalty, taking no sides made you EVERYONE'S enemy. It was the precedent the technically neutral set when they ventured out into the world. Yeah... She could imagine what he'd seen when he was out off-roading out there in the wilds... Between everyone killing each other and everyone ELSE killing each other, there was no limit to the amount of blood this man had likely witnessed.

"The 'grey traveler'!?" Sal laughed, unable to help herself. "Who gave you that title, Tats!? You or someone you know? Oh that's funny... Listen, I'd normally give you some advice on what to do but seeing as you've been pleasant so far, I'll just keep that to myself." Xuba remarked that he remembered a time when the village was half this size, that he just HAD to go wandering off into the middle of nowhere because 'reasons.' WOW! That was probably the vaguest description of a life-story she ever heard. And believe it, she frequented bars. She heard PLENTY of them. Then again, what did she expect from a man she just met? If anything, this was a testament to his caution. She could respect that.

"Well, Mr. Traveler-man, welcome home. I hope that things haven't changed TOO much while you were off trudging through the war-torn wastelands outside." She gave the man a good long look before following his gaze back out across the busy market. It was often hard to tell here whether business was slow or booming... the place ALWAYS seemed packed. "So tell me... What as 15 years almost dying done for you? No doubt you constantly had blades to your throat and knives at your back."

Sal giggled at most of his remarks which only confirmed a few things as he remained observant. Of the market quietly listening to the girl as he merely rolled a shoulder to pop an air bubble. Sending a resounding crack that could proberly shake the girl in her sandles.

"Theres a single golden rule you follow. If you do not wish to cause trouble avoid commonly treaded paths. For me i took the long way.so long as you do not pose a threat a shinobi can leave you alone as well. It helps knowing some tricks too. So to stay low. But besides that i hated combat. When i was younger thats where i learned that theives are alot more trust worthy then most shinobi. Besides when out there if you want to remain low. That is why im the grey traveler. I simply avoided conflicts."

Xuba stated as he heard the girl off about giving him some kind of advice. Yet he knew simply by her facade of speech. It was a careful asdumption, but perhaps she did not quiet understand as she gave him a welcome home. 

He sighed and spoke only after she completed her spew once more. His voice calm and controlled like a teacher explaining a tricky problem in simple words.

"The son was able to be held in the palm of his mothers hand when i was a lad. Now he took over the fathers shop. The smith expanded from merely a castle owned forge, to one capeable of supplying shinobi tools. The guards are riddled openly with shinobi. Which the natives here tolerate with groing distrust. As opposed to years ago shinobi were captured alive and hence executed. Be greatful for the graces of your home saluluna. The time im from here you were assumed dead or shot down if returned."

Xuba remarked as he turned torwards her and get his gaze steady as he spoke. Revealing no malice but the warmth of his voice faded a tad bit only to return. In less then a instant.

"Blades at all angels. One was hardly able to sleep without wondering if a knife would be lodged through their chest. The habit to avoid biragades and bandits and sleep for a few precious hours a peice. Travel long and far durring the day. But a blood bath was easily avoidable. That does not mean that thoes that meant to try to harm me did not get away. Or the familes did not recive their lost ones  remains in a sack. Life is precious so i assured that i stayed alive  this long."


Xuba stated as he leaned back and studied her quietly for a moment observing her carefully.

"Why the curiousity?"

"The difference between then and now, Mr. Tatsuma, is that the Hoshi from that time is dead here. Currently, in case you've missed it, the whole place is run by ninja. I remember your time. I served in the military back when we had one so I remember how shinobi were treated. In fact, people around here still cling to that time but right now, this is the best we're doing and it's better than then. So I say again. Welcome back. I hope you find it much more accommodating than the last time you were here."

This guy seemed to only talk in riddles and metaphores, hardly ever saying anything plainly or with any flatness what-so-ever. She might have to chalk this up to habit of his something, but she really had nothing to go on besides his fluent projection of them. Tatsuma asked why all the curiosity and Sal shook her head and shrugged. 'Why the defensiveness?' She didn't say outloud, letting out a soft sigh. It was a stupid question to be sure, given this man's past, but hey... Maybe that wasn't the only reason. Who knew?

"Just making polite conversation. Where I'm from, you do that when you meet a stranger. Try to get to know them... Make a few jokes, have a few laughs and try to make them feel welcome." She offered the man a pleasant grin, keeping all smiles. She didn't quite appreciate how he talked down to her nor his constant observations of her lack of "outside-knowledge" but at least he was polite about it. Better than some conversations she'd had.

"Speaking of jokes, what's your take on humor? Can't tell you how much I've been told shinobi aren't allowed to have such nice things."

Xuba listend quietly and waited till she finished.

"It has changed saluluna. Let me say that it has. With shinobi of the ranks efficency has improved. No more brawling amid streets and rude knights. However the tension is just as bad."

Xuba stated as he sat up and offered sal a hand.

"At least you have a good eye for experienced induviduals saluluna. But if i was defensive perhaps i wouldve been more... demanding. Im careful. You never know who to trust and hoshi is no exception. A place of peace like this holds shadows. Dark ones."

Almost as dark as the shadows of kumogure as he could feel that no where was safe. At least he was home and could perish in the light. Perhaps claim to a god of some kind.

"Humor, it only depends on thre time of day, and if there is alcohol. If so then i can tell a funny tale or two. I was kidding.... i hate the taste of the vial poision in tje bottle. Instead i invest in juices and water."

Xuba smiled at sal and noted that she smiled a little.

"That smile is picture frame worthy, but trust is a two way road. If only given in one direction it will only not fair well for the other end. A stranger must trust the other's vow of no violence or slander. Only then do they allow a door to open. Tricks of the trade salu. You can look in a eye, but never the heart."

Saluluna could tell he was a bit defensive. She assumed it was in the way he talked, what with those strange mannerisms and unusual words that seemed to obscure his message. She figured that he was the kind of guy that didn't want to give anything away he didn't have too... and didn't have any noticeable sense of humor. Tats' joke fell flat on it's face as he attempted to tell it, the girl finding absolutely nothing funny about his little kid over alcohol. She didn't hate it either but mainly because there was really nothing there to laugh at... It seemed like he was going for some kind of punchline but at the last second decided to drop it in favor of being sincere... T'was more disappointing than anything else.

Ah... but he was a flirt. Sal's smile widened as he remarked how it was "picture" worthy, taking that little compliment to heart. Aww... Did he mean it? Probably not but it was a nice thing to say anyway! Her one eye glowed with warmth at his remark, but all that seemed to numb as he continued on about trust and garbage... He couldn't just let a nice, cuddly moment rest, could he...? The way he talked felt akin to the sound of crumpling aluminum foil in your hand, grating and crunchy, hard to really listen to if you tuned in.

"Let it be known, friend, that I will NEVER slander you. Too much work." She gave him that picture-worthy grin again, offering her hand for him to shake. "It's probably a good thing we can't see into each-other's hearts. Well it's not like you have much choice which eye you look into, buddo. I only have one and my heart is covered up in flesh so... your options are kinda limited anyway."

ahhhhhh i see...


xuba thought as he noted the sudden glow. although women are giving one thing that if he was a ninja of anything he knew how to throw thoes quiet daggers that makes a woman long a bit more. the sudden inclusion of his intentionally terrible joke lead her to showing a bigger grin that was frame worthy, because she involuntarily wanted to hear it again. so like the sly man he is he made a quick blow to her heart of flesh with words that few could resist.

"never is a long time. i never thought that one of the military had such a solid grip. but for you i give this gift. You may have one eye. but that does not deny the beauty of the soul that lies behind it. we are all merely what we wish to show. Also the wider your smile gets salulu. the better the picture frame will be.... dont be afraid. show me a real smile. they say that those who put their heart in their smile truly live life."


he paused for a moment and then added the punchline

"then again those were the weird people in the mountains of the earth country. they had a habbit of taking in weird incenses and drinking their own home brewed stuff."

xuba showed a geniuin smile to saluluna as he kept to his example the thing was that now he would be doing a dance amid the devils now as he now was curious.

"so what is it you disire to learn today salulu?"

Ignoring the fact Tats continued to flirt with her arguably better than Gin did, his remark about showing her "true" smile caught her off guard. What even was a "true smile" any way? Was he speaking in metaphors? Why was everyone around here so prone to talking in speeches and metaphors? Could they not just speak like a normal person? Taking a second to translate, what she got from this was that he was calling her smile beautiful, but that he wanted to see the real her. He wanted to see a genuine, heart-felt smile but unfortunately, this was the only one she could give. It was obvious by his request the man didn't know her well at all... She could give him many things: A freshly made cloak, life advice, a picture frame-worthy smile, a good time... but she couldn't give him her heart. She'd forgotten where it went after all these years... Keeping it buried for so long and beating it dead with a shovel every time it tried to claw it's way out would do that. Emotion, especially the good ones, weren't really her thing... Empathy wasn't much of one either. This boy wanted to her to show him his heart? Lets see if he could dig it up.

"Sorry broski. I can't seem to find where I heart went... I'll give you a 'genuine' smile when I find it though."

The stranger went on about something with incense and brewed stuff, something she would've maybe gotten if she knew anything about the earth country. As it stood though, they were just another bunch of words she was forced to translate... and came up with no notable meaning. The man asked what she sought to learn today and Saluluna looked at him oddly. What... did he think that she came to talk to him for techniques? How shallow did he thinks he was? Or maybe he was asking what she sought from him on a personal level, his life story and such... No... that'd take to long and was no doubt full of predictable plot-twists and betrayal. She wasn't in the mood for a horror story.

"You could tell me why you think I'd approach a stranger from out-of-state for something so trivial." Sal would offer, nudging the man with her elbow. "I just came to chat."